Road Tunnel

Chinese Name: Bing, WANG

School of Civil Engineering
Shenyang jianzhu University
Email:bingwer@126.com

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Chapter 1 Basic concepts

1.1 Introduction
1.2 Tunnel shape and internal elements
1.3 Types of road tunnels
1.4 Studies of tunnel

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Chapter 1 Basic concepts

1.1 Introduction Road tunnels are

enclosed roadways
with vehicle access
that is restricted to
portals, and are
feasible alternatives
to cross a water
body or traverse
through physical
barriers.
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Chapter 1 Basic concepts

1.2 Tunnel shape and internal elements

Rectangular
Circular
Horseshoe or Curvilinear

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Chapter 1 Basic concepts

1.2 Tunnel shape and internal elements

Rectangular tunnels:
are often constructed
by either the cut and
cover method, by the
immersed method or
by jacked box
tunneling.
Two cell rectangular tunnel 5
Chapter 1 Basic concepts

1.2 Tunnel shape and internal elements

Circular tunnels: are
constructed using
either tunnel boring
machine(TBM) or by
drill and blast in rock.

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Circular tunnel
Chapter 1 Basic concepts

1.2 Tunnel shape and internal elements

Horseshoe tunnels: are
constructed using drill
and blast in rock or by
following the
sequential excavation
method (SEM), and
New Austrian tunneling
method (NATM).
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Horseshoe tunnel
Chapter 1 Basic concepts

1.2 Tunnel shape and internal elements

Curvilinear tunnel

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Curvilinear tunnel
Chapter 1 Basic concepts

1.3 Types of road tunnels

(1) Cut-and-cover tunnels
(2) Bored or mined tunnels
(3) Rock tunnels
(4) Soft ground tunnels
(5) Immersed tunnels
(6) Jacked box tunnels
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Chapter 1 Basic concepts

1.3 Types of road tunnels

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Preliminary road tunnel type selection process
Chapter 1 Basic concepts

1.4 Studies of tunnel

(1) Design process
(2) Tunnel cross-section
(3) Groundwater control
(4) Tunnel portals
(5) Fire-life safety systems
(6) Emergency egress
(7) Tunnel drainage
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 Chapter 1 Basic concepts

1.4 Studies of tunnel

(1) Design process
•Define the functional requirement
•carry out the necessary investigation of geologic
•conduct environmental studies
•perform tunnel type studies
•establish design criteria
•establish tunnel alignment and cross-section
•determine potential modes of failure
•perform risk analysis
•prepare project documents
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Chapter 1 Basic concepts

1.4 Studies of tunnel

(2) Tunnel cross-section
Satisfy the required traffic lanes, shoulders,
safety walks, suitable spaces for ventilation,
lights, traffic control system, fire/life safety
system.

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Chapter 1 Basic concepts

1.4 Studies of tunnel

(3) Groundwater control
two types:
Open waterproof system (drained)
closed waterproof system (undrained)

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Chapter 1 Basic concepts

1.4 Studies of tunnel

(4) Tunnel portals
Tunnel portals should satisfy environmental and
air quality requirements.

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Chapter 1 Basic concepts

1.4 Studies of tunnel

(5) Fire-life safety systems
Consider the impacts on the alignments, tunnel
cross section, emergency exits, ventilation
provisions, geometrical configuration, right-of-
way, and conceptual cost estimates.

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Chapter 1 Basic concepts
1.4 Studies of tunnel
(6) Emergency egress

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Emergency exit
Chapter 1 Basic concepts
1.4 Studies of tunnel
(6) Emergency egress
•The spacing of exits into escape routes should
not exceed 1000 feet (300 m) .
•The emergency egress walkways should be a
minimum of 3.6 ft wide.

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Chapter 1 Basic concepts

1.4 Studies of tunnel

(7) Tunnel drainage
Sump-pump system are provided at the portals
and at low points.

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